Collar button



Nov. 8, 1927.

W. THOMPSON COLLAR BUTTON Filed May 1, 1926 mvsmore Manama-on.

R/WM ATTORNEY Waff e? MM 5 Q Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

PATENT orr WALTER THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COLLAR Application filed May 1,

This invention relates to buttons and more particularly to collarbuttons for the back of mens collars, though it is noted that theinvention is not limited to collar buttons nor in some respects even tobuttons.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind in whichthe parts are relatively movable to permit yielding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a button of this kindwhich may be worn at the back of the neck and will not be forced intothe neck by a stiff collar or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a deviceof this kindhaving an angularly movable shank for general ease of manipulation andcomfort in wearing and to render the button as a whole freely flexible,thus to pr vent bouncing, rolling and loss.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally thecomfort,simplicityand efficiency of such buttons and to provide a buttonof this kind which is durable and reliable in use, economical tomanufacture, and does not wear holes in the back of the collar,

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described andclaimed, the invention is not limited to these, since many and variouschanges may be made without departing from the scope of the invention asclaimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objectsare shown herein in connection with an improved collar button which,briefly stated, includes a base and a headed stem or shank having looseuniversal connection with the base.

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, two of manypossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view showing one form of the collar button;and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing another form of the invention.

My improved collar button of Fig. 1 comprises a base 5 having aninwardly pressed approximately hemispherical projection 6 at its midpart and an overturned outer flange 7. A hollow stem or shank 10 havingan outer head 11 has an enlarged cup shaped inner end 12 with aninturned flange 13 forming a socket loosely receiving said projection12.

A retaining disk 15 held in place by said flange 7 is provided with alarge central per- BUTTON.

1926. Serial No. 105,928.

foration l6 loosely receiving said stem, and an outwardly pressed socketportion 17 sur rounding said perforation and loosely engaging the outerpart of said cup shaped end 12, whereby means is provided to connect thestem to the base by a universal connection, to permit angular movementof the stem relative to the'base to prevent the bottom from being forcedagainst the neck as by a stiff collar or the like.

In Fig. 2, the mid part of the base 5 is not inwardly pressed and isengaged by an enlarged end 12 of the shank 10 and en gaged by the socketportion 17 as in Fig. 1.

l Vhen the button is inserted in the shield which carries the back neckband button hole of a shirt, the base is grasped by the fingers,including the stem as in the dotted lines, thus presenting an edge ofthe head to the button hole for easy insertion. This angular movement ofthe shank also permits easy insertion of the head into the button holeof the detachable collar.

When the head is forced toward the neck, as by a stifi collar, the stemmoves to in clined position, permitting the head to come close to theneck band so the base cannot be forced uncomfortably into the neck ofthe wearer; and the head of the button cannot be forced unduly into theouter fold of the collar to cause excessive wear on the collar. As thestem inclines sometimes one way and sometimes another, the wear on thecollar is so distributed as to be negligible.

The button may be used in other locations, than at the neck, or forother than personal uses; and because of its loose construction will notbound or roll excessively,

and thus avoids loss when dropped.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a collar button, in combination, a base member, a button-holeengaging shank normally disposed at a right angle to the plane of saidbase member, and means coopcrating between said base member and shankfor providing ball and socket engagement between the base member andshank whereby the shank is retained in the base member and angularlymovable relative to the plane of the base member, said means including aprojection on the base member engaging an aperture in the end of theshank for axially positioning the shank.

2. In a collar button, in combination, a

normally disposed at a right angle to the plane of said base member, andmeans cooperating between said base member and shank for providing balland socket engagement between the base member and shank whereby theshank is retained in the base member and angularly movable relative tothe plane of the base member, said shank providing a socket for the ballface of the base member and said base member providing a socket for theball face of the shank.

3. In a collar button, in combination, a substantially disk-like basemember having a central recess in its bottom face forming an inwardprojection and having in its top face a central circular apertureforming a socket, and a button-hole engaging shank provided with an endhaving outwardly curved side portions and having a central aperture inthe bottom face of said end forming a socket,rsaid shank being normallydisposed at a right angle to the plane of said base member, saidprojection of the base member engaging said aperture of the bottom faceof the end of the shank and said curved side portions of the end of theshank engaging said aperture of the top face of the base member wherebythe shank is retained in the base member and angularly movable relativeto the plane of the base member.

4. In a collar button, in combination, a base member, a button-holeengaging shank having at one of its ends a fixed button head, said shankbeing normally disposed at a right angle to the plane of said basemember, and means cooperating between said base member and the end ofthe shank opposite said button head for providing two-fold ball andsocket engagement between the base member and shank whereby the shank isretained in the base member and angularly movable relative to the planeof the base member, said means including a socket formed in an end ofthe shank for receiving the ball face of the base member and a socketformed in the face of the base memher for receiving the ball face of theshank.

5. In a collar button, in combination, a substantially disk like basemember having a central arcuate recess in its bottom face forming arounded inward projection and having in its top face a' central circularflanged aperture forming a socket, a buttonhole engaging shank having atone of its ends a fixed button head and provided at its end opposite thebutton head with a bulbous: end having outwardly curved side portionsand having a circular flanged aperture in the bottom face of saidbulbous end forming a socket, said shank being normally disposed at aright angle to the plane of said base member, said projection of thebase member engaging said aperture of the end of the shank and saidcurved side portions of the bulbous end of the shank engaging saidaperture of the top face of the basev member whereby the shank isretained in the base member and angularly movable relative to the planeof the base member.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, this2-6 day of April 1926.

\VALTER THOMPSON.

